Medea By Euripides: Play Analysis

Medea, a play by Euripides, centres around a woman named Medea who is wronged by her husband, Jason, when he marries another woman and leaves Medea. The popular opinion involving this play is that Jason is a horrible person, and he was in the wrong for causing Medea all of her pain. It is important to look at this play from both sides, however, and Jason’s argument is compelling enough to show that he was not as horrible of a person for what he had done and that the choices he had made were for the benefit of his family, despite breaking his vows. Medea is the real villain of this play, and Jason is one of her many victims. He consistently speaks about his desire to protect his family and talks of reasoning with the royal family so Medea is

His reasoning behind the decision helps show that while he did break his vows, it was in an attempt to to support his family. Jason stated that he wanted his family to “live comfortably and not go without anything” (Euripides 560) in multiple different forms throughout the play. Later, he shows that he wants to protect his sons from the dangers of the world by convincing the royals to allow them to live (942-3). If Jason had been able to bring his sons into the palace of Corinth then they would have lived comfortably and safely for the rest of their lives as royals, while Medea would have been supported externally. It would be in the best interest of the bloodlines of both Jason and Medea for the children to grow up in a wealthy, powerful household because it would continue both of their legacies. Furthermore, Jason says to Medea that “[his] intention was to make [her] safe and to father princes / who would be kindred to [his] own sons and so provide security / for [their] family” (596-8). Admittedly, the separation of Medea from her children is cruel, but she clearly shows that she does not care for her children by stating “I want / you to die along with your father” (114-5) as well as the idea of having the children be raised with royal

Her kinslaying is committed without a shred of guilt, instead blaming Jason for their death, saying “how your father’s weakness caused your deaths!” (1364). She kills her own flesh and blood as a way of getting back at a man who wanted to give her and her children a life of ease. Furthermore, she uses her children as pawns to assist in enacting revenge on Jason by killing the royal family. The royal family had agreed to accept her children and also had given her a day to settle her state of affairs, against Creon’s own good judgement as he admits by saying “in showing respect to petitioners I have too often / invited disaster” (349-50). While still having exiled her from Corinth, the royal family shows many kindnesses to Medea that are not required, and in return Medea has them fatally poisoned. Her actions benefit no one but herself and go against everything not only motherhood stands for, but that humanity stands for. Because of these reasons, Jason should not be considered the villain of this play, but instead the murderous witch Medea should